Iduna

'But you would have left me.' He stepped closer, one hand lifted to touch her cheek, the fingers tracing a path to her lips. Fingers which kissed as they moved. 'And if you leave me, my dearest,' he whispered. 'What have I left? You promise?'

She nodded. It was good to have someone to make decisions at times. Someone who cared.

Tamiras said, 'This is ridiculous. Gustav, if we weren't old friends I'd take offense at the implication. To even imagine that I could be responsible for such a thing is beyond reason. Why, for God's sake? What reason could I have for spreading hnaudifida?'

'I didn't say that!'

'You implied it.'

'No, I was merely checking out certain data. Looking for a common factor which would give a lead of some kind to the cause and spread of the sickness.' Gustav gestured at the papers littering his desk. He looked strained, dark circles of fatigue magnifying the brilliance of his eyes, but held himself with an unexpected firmness. 'A job which needs to be done and I am doing it.'

'Why you? Why not the technicians?'

'Must we always rely on others? As I remember it, Tamiras, you are always becoming personally involved with your rafts and crews and equipment. Why not leave it to your technicians?'

'A man can only trust himself.' Tamiras shrugged, then smiled. 'You've made your point, Gustav. And, by doing this, you feel closer to Kathryn, right?'

A man shrewder than he at first appeared. The straggle of beard distracted the attention from the set of the lips and line of jaw, the creases of resolve and the directness of the eyes which, at times, held the impact of spears. A clever man- why did he stay on Esslin? A son of an exile who owned no lands and no fine houses. Who made his way on a pension granted by Kathryn in an effort to heal the breach caused by his rebellious parent. A warped genius who worked in the field of electron magic and who could easily find fame and backers on other worlds.

But he was no longer young and other worlds could never be home and on Esslin he had respect and as much fame as a man could ever be granted. And more freedom than most.

Now he said quietly, 'I know how it is, Gustav. The frustration of being always regarded as an inferior. Women think of us as children, irresponsible boys who have no concept of the duties attending maturity. They give us our toys and, as long as we are good, tolerate us and our eccentricities. Even my own mother never really understood the importance of my work. And even though I've proved my ability a dozen times, who will give me their trust? I make field-baths and talk of electronic dirt removers and am allowed to construct household utensils. But when I demonstrate that I have the knowledge to master the climate I am shunned. No man must ever be allowed to become too powerful. Not on Esslin.'

'Give it time, Tamiras. Things will change.'

'Time? I have no time! I-' Tamiras broke off, lips pursed beneath his beard, looking at hands which trembled. When they were still he said blandly, 'We digress, old friend. It is good that a husband wants to help his wife and I am the last to decry your motives. Even though by helping her you set the yoke more firmly about your neck. Now, as to my movements, they are simply explained. I went to check the geological substrata in various areas and to take measurements of the planetary magnetic field at certain selected points. I also took sightings as to elevations and elementary dispositions of any heights in those regions. If you wish I can let you have my scheduled plan of operations which includes dates, times, findings and comments. Had I expected your accusation I would have brought it with me.'

'There has been no accusation,' said Gustav. 'This is an investigation, no more. But I will be pleased to check your records. Would they, by any chance, include details of any others you may have met during your journeys?'

'I keep records, Gustav, not a diary. How do I know what others might have done? One thing I am certain about however is that none of them would have wanted to spread sickness in the land. What could they gain by it? Their own property is at risk; with the harvest so close they will need every slave they can get to work in the fields.' He added thoughtfully, 'Of course, there is one remote possibility, but I hesitate to mention it.'

'Possibility?' Gustav frowned. 'You mean you have suspicions of someone who could be responsible?'

'Not that. Not exactly. I was thinking more on the lines of an unsuspecting carrier.'

'That has been checked. None of the residents of the afflicted areas are or could be carriers. The outbreak is recent, a resident carrier would have been spotted long ago.'

'Recent-so who has come to Esslin within the immediate past? Visitors? Relatives? And what of Hylda Vroom's slaves?'

'You cover old ground. I've checked. In any case the slaves arrived after the first reports of the sickness.'

'Which leaves us what?' Tamiras frowned in thought. 'Who else? Who could have arrived and-' He looked up to meet Gustav's eyes. 'The monks.'

'The monks? No!'

'Why not? Oh, I'm not talking about a deliberate attempt to spread infection, I'd be the first to defend them from that accusation, but what about a carrier? A man who doesnt even know he carries hnaudifida and spreads it in sheer ignorance.'

'A monk-but his companions?'

'Could be immune. It happens, Gustav, and on other worlds they may not be as prone to the disease as we are here on Esslin. Mind you, I make no accusation. It is a possibility and perhaps a remote one. But it could be the answer.'

'No.' Gustav shook his head. 'You're forgetting something. They have been here for some time now-if one was a carrier then why has the disease taken so long to show itself.'

'The carrier could be a recent arrival.'

'And the rest?' Gustav moved some of his papers, selected one, ran his eyes over the list of figures. 'The monks stay in the city close to the field. How could they have been in contact with slaves residing on distant estates and so far apart from each other? The thing is impossible.'

Tamiras said, 'The Festival. You're forgetting the Festival.'

The three-day period when harsh discipline was relaxed and carnival prevailed. A safety valve to release pent up emotions, anger and resentment allowed to boil away in dancing and drunken orgies and wild abandon. A time in which the wise kept to their homes and only the guards were out in force.

'The Festival,' said Tamiras again. 'The monks were here before it and the contacts could have been made then.' Casually he added, 'And don't forget that one of the monks died. It might be interesting to find out from what.'

The body had gone, converted into ash and basic constituents and returned to the universe from which they had been formed. Brother Juba was now nothing but a memory and the work which three had handled must now be completed by two. But not for long. Already replacements were on the way now that the Church had received grudging permission to establish itself on Esslin. The first pecarious foothold which must be strengthened with younger blood and more resilient sinew.

The cycle which Remick had experienced before but now doubted if he would again. He would stay-few monks ever retired to spend their last days in the beautiful tranquility of Pace where they served to the last in bringing comfort to those tormented by mental anguish or physical pain. He would stay and Brother Echo would stay and they would die here on this world and be burned and remembered for a while and then forgotten as those memories were erased by time.

But something of them both would remain as something of Juba would linger. A hand lifted to strike and then lowered with the intended victim untouched, a degree of tolerance intended where none had been evident before, a moment of concern for another instead of blank indifference-these things would be their monument.

To the guards who came to close the church he said, 'What is this? We have the permission of the Matriarch.'

'Shut up!' The back of the woman's hand bruised his lips in a casual blow. 'Where is the body of the one who died?' She scowled when he told her. 'Burned? How about his effects?'

She collected them as he watched, hands deft within their gloves, her bulk taut in places against the transparent membrane which covered her. A garment Remick had seen before and he restrained Echo as the man began to protest.